Salvaging The Wreckage
by BlightOnSociety
Summary: In the aftermath of Flagg1991's 'From the Wreckage' Lucy and Lisa embrace a taboo branch of science to bring back their loved ones. Meanwhile, there secret isn't quite as hidden as they may have hoped...
1. Gathering What Remains

**Author's Note:** Obviously this is intended as a sequel to Flagg1991's 'From The Wreckage', so all credit goes to him (and the Loud House creators by extension). I will gladly accept any criticism. I hope you enjoy this first chapter.

Chapter One: Gathering What Remains

The gates of Royal Woods Cemetary groaned as two small figures heaved against it uselessly. The taller figure took it as a bad omen, that perhaps the spirits of the dead didn't want them there. The younger cursed the oxidized metal halting their progress. It seemed the two foes - man and gate - were at a standstill, at least until the younger one revealed a small vial containing a highly potent rust remover. The fast-acting agent worked its magic, and the partners in crime gave one final push.

The rusted entrance gave way, granting them access.

Inside the cemetary, the duo glanced around suspiciously, fearing that a passerby may have heard the earlier ruckus. Once they were sure it was clear, the shorter one took out a small rectangular device, and upon clicking it triggered a chorus of bzzzzzt sounds, indicating the shorting out of all nearby surveillance cameras. With the perimeter secure, they finally removed their black ski masks and put on night vision goggles. Lisa and Lucy Loud were about to commit the unthinkable. Lisa gulped before grasping Lucy's hand for comfort. Together, they treaded towards the source of their nightmares.

The route was forever burned into their memory. Old mossy gravestones lined the path, the names of people long-lost to the annals of time. Eventually, these gave way to newer headstones, some adorned with flowers or windmills. They weren't looking for the typical gravesite fare though. Their's had a sparkling pink tiara on top, a glittering beacon of hope in a sea of despair.

Upon arriving, the sisterly duo had to take a moment.

Lucy always thought cemetaries had a certain gravity to them, but it wasn't until she had a reason to visit one that it truly struck her. Cemeteries weren't just an object of morbid fascination for her, and the same could be said across the board. Seances, ouija boards, vampires, etc. were all just a childish game compared to reality. She'd always be a goth deep down, but tragedy had softened her rough edges and given her a more respectful view of the darkness inside her.

Lisa, meanwhile, still hadn't come to terms with it after nearly half a year. Six months. Had it really been that long? It felt like only yesterday when Vanzilla had been sent careening down the road and into a death roll. The lives of father, Lori, and Lola were claimed in said tragic accident, and the fallout shook the foundations of their household. Some, such as herself and Lana, had been left with mental scars that would last a lifetime. Others, like Lincoln and Luan, were left with debilitating injuries, the former sporting an unseemly limp, and the latter prone to the occasional draught of confusion and forgetfulness. Worse yet, the very definition of normalcy had been tested by the unnatural and still ongoing relations between Luna and Lincoln. To put it simply, things were fucked.

Lisa Loud wore a look of grim determination. If they failed tonight, the ramifications would be unimaginable. Arrest, juvie, psych ward, heck even government interrogation wasn't off the table. The stakes were too damn high for the young genius, and yet the rewards were even more enticing. In her short four and a half years on this planet, she'd learned that family was more valuable than anything - even a Nobel prize. If the whole scientific community stood against her on this matter, then science be damned! Or thrice damned if this endeavor bore fruit…

They'd stood vigil long enough. With a resolute nod, Lisa let Lucy know it was time. Lucy gave a soft sigh before removing the modified soil sampling device and handed it over to Lisa. It wouldn't do to dig up an entire grave. "Too much evidence", Lisa had asserted. Instead, through the use of their modified soil sampler/periscope/delivery system, a small chip would be injected into their remains. From there, a simple 'click' on her keyboard would teleport them to their respective vats within her repurposed April Fools day doomsday bunker.

Lisa held the devise in her hands, taking a moment to ponder how she got herself into this predicament. It all began two months prior when Lisa had suggested cloning to her mother…

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

 **Two months earlier**

"Mother Unit, may we speak alone for a moment. I'd like to broach a rather sensitive subject matter", Lisa asked nervously, wringing her hands out in front of her. To say she was afraid would be a gross understatement. Even four months post-accident, the trauma still ran deep in the Loud family. She often wondered if they were all suffering the effects of PTSD, or perhaps some other stress-related disorder. Speculation aside, she knew that she would have to tread lightly in order to receive a favorable reaction. After all, cloning deceased relatives wasn't a topic most were willing to discuss rationally under normal circumstances, let alone a mere four months after the incident.

"Of course sweetie", Rita responded worriedly, her motherly instincts picking up on the nervous undertone of Lisa's words. Ever since the worst day of their lives, Rita made a concerted effort to be there for her children. Losing Lori and Lola helped put things into perspective for her. She had nightmares every night of losing more of her precious babies, and although she couldn't feasibly protect them from all possible outcomes, she could at least be there for them. Fortunately, the settlement money and insurance payout insured that she'd never have to work anything beyond a part time job.

Rita guided her second youngest to her bedroom for privacy. They sad down on her bed, before Rita cupped her shoulder in a comforting gesture. "What's bothering you", Rita probed.

"It's pertaining to the accident", Lisa spoke carefully.

Rita steeled herself for the conversation to come. Even months later, her heart still pricked at the mention of that horrible day. Regardless, she would get past that for Lisa, albeit not without a Kleenex or two.

"Go on", she pressed.

"It's just that… we've been mourning for the better part of four months now, trying to accept that our members are indeed gone", Lisa began. The next part would be the clincher. "I'd like to suggest an alternative solution".

"Yes?" Rita wasn't sure where Lisa was going with this, but she immediately felt unease. 'Solutions' usually implied explosions and noxious fumes at the very least, but something in Lisa's manner of speaking suggested something more… taboo.

"Perhaps we can forgoe the grieving process altogether", Lisa asserted. Rita looked about to interrupt, but Lisa stayed her with a raised hand. "What I mean to say is, maybe they don't have to be dead in the first place", Lisa stated in total seriousness. "Cloning may be in its infancy, but I believe I can make leaps and bounds in DNA replications. I am sure that with enough time, I could make it as if they were never gone - memories and all.

A tense silence followed.

"Oh honey", Rita responded after a moment, hugging her daughter. Tears were threatening to spill over, but Rita remained strong. "I know it's hard, but we can't just replace them. Even if it works out the way you claim it will, it still wouldn't be them", Rita finished. Her second youngest was amazing, and she truly believed that Lisa could do whatever she set her mind to, but this wasn't right. The dead were meant to stay dead, and nothing - not even science - could change that.

Lisa pondered this for a moment, before addressing her mother's concerns. "For all intents and purposes, they would be exactly the same. I don't see why we cann-",

"No," Rita interrupted. Her tone left no room for discussion. There were some things that couldn't - shouldn't - be done. Violating one of nature's most sacred laws was certainly among them. "Lisa, even if I gave you permission, it wouldn't change the fact that your real father and sisters are buried in Royal Woods cemetary. They still died".

Lisa clenched her fists and tears sprung to the corners of her spectacled eyes. As much as it hurt to admit it, her mother was right. It was one thing to clone an animal on the brink of extinction or a family pet. They needn't comprehend their fates or past lives. You can clone a person to a tee, but that doesn't make them any less an imposter.

"I'm sorry, mother. I should have considered other possible variables. I hope I haven't upset you", Lisa apologized.

"You haven't sweetie. We all miss them so much, and I would give anything to hold my babies again", Rita's voice broke for a second, but the Loud matriarch made sure to give a reassuring smile. It was hard, but she had to be strong for this exact reason. For them.

Lisa wiped her eyes and gave her mother a hug before heading upstairs. Rather than focus on the impossible, Lisa decided to review her extensive list of potential scientific grants, a task she'd put off as of late. She'd probably pass on the one from Australia regarding the Tasmanian Tiger, which had sent her down this upsetting rabbit hole in the first place.

"I heard you talking to mom", Lucy said, appearing out of thin air behind her. She held a book to her chest.

"Ahhhh! Where in Pandora's box did you come from?" Lisa exclaimed.

"I was in the vents", Lucy stated matter of factly. "And I think I might have a loophole with your whole 'clone' thingy".

"Drop it Luce. You shouldn't have been eavesdropping. Besides, what idea could you possibly have that I haven't mulled over a thousand times already", Lisa patronized. It really was a pain living with such one dimensional siblings. She wouldn't trade them for the world, but Lisa was far too emotionally spent to tolerate their inane-ness today.

"I'm being serious", Lucy tried but failed to convey in her usual monotone voice. "What if we didn't just clone them. What if… we used their original human vessel instead of only their DNA?" Lucy finished dramatically. She thrusted the book she was holding into Lisa's arms, which turned out to be 'Frankenstein'.

"What sort of drivel is this", Lisa cried out in outrage. "You expect me to conduct a scientific investigation based on an outdated work of fantasy?" She was well aware of the goth's obsession with the supernatural, but this was pure lunacy. Besides, what did Frankenstein, the horrific mismatched human quilt of a creature, have to do with resurrecting their lost family members?

As if sensing the question, Lucy continued. "We could use THEIR bodies instead of just cloning them. It would be them, in body and soul".

"That's preposter-", Lisa didn't finish her sentence. In actuality, it WAS the perfect hole in mother's logic. Of course, there was the matter of grave robbing, rate of decomposition, and various other factors she probably hadn't considered, but she'd cross those bridges when the time came.

"So are you in", Lucy questioned. She already knew the answer.

"Yes. It will take time though," Lisa confirmed. _And_ _I_ _might have to reconsider that research grant..._

And the rest, as they say, is history.

 **xxxxxxxxxx**

"Lisa", Lucy whispered, drawing her younger sister from her memories. "You're not having second thoughts, are you?", Lucy accused. She was far too invested in this to let it die on a whim. Just this once, Lucy Loud, of 1216 Franklin Avenue, would stand in defiance of the darkness. The thought unnerved her.

Lisa had been standing quietly for a couple minutes, completely lost in her thoughts, but Lucy's prodding had shaken her out of it. "Yes… of course dear sister. Nothing will stand in the path of scientific progress", Lisa said rather unenthusiasticly. Her left hand quaked with indecision, and Lisa suddenly realized the truth: she was just a scared little girl. Before she could give up, another hand grasped her own.

"We can do this… together", Lucy proclaimed. It was almost poetic, a couple of Loud girls getting ready to wake the dead. It almost made Lucy regret not letting Luna in on the secret.

Lisa nodded, and with her sister's reassuring presence, they carefully guided the instrument to the ground above Lola's plot. One audible 'click' of a button later, and the drill was deployed. With a mechanical whir, the device came to life and started boring into the ground. Lisa got out her laptop to guide the drill and it's payload. The screen displayed various readings, such as depth, soil composition, and system operations, but Lisa only subconsciously tracked those. Her eyes were affixed to the video feed - nothing but black static, but soon…

An alert sounded as the drill met wood, slowing its progress to a few millimeters per second. Lisa did not want to compromise the coffin's structural integrity by going too fast. It probably didn't matter, but Lisa didn't want to be too hasty. One millimeter… five millimeters… and finally 19.05 millimeters, _or_ _3/4 of an inch for the dunderheads who refused to accept the metric system._ With the tip barely poking through, the black static suddenly came to life with vivid colors.

"Wicked", Lisa remarked, as the inside of the coffin finally came into view. While others might've found this work to be morbid, being a member of the Mortician's club had prepared Lucy for what she was about to see. Lisa, at the very least, could appreciate this aspect of her 'gothness', and claimed this was actually the only reason she hadn't wiped Lucy's memory.

As the camera panned over, Lucy still had to steel herself. This was Lola, or at least had been, and she shuddered at the thought of witnessing the former beauty queen pageant in her decayed state. She expected a bloated, discolored bastardization of the Lola she knew... but Lucy was pleasantly surprised.

Lisa expected to pale at the sight of her sister's corpse, but apparently Lola was as vigilant in death as she was in life when it came to appearances. Truthfully speaking, it was the embalming fluid that had worked its magic, but the thought of Lola obsessing over her looks, even in death, brought a smile to her face. Of course, her cheeks and eyelids were sunken, but beyond that, her preservation was remarkable.

As much as the sisters wanted to linger in this sense of reunion, there was still work to be done. With a flourish of typing prowess, Lisa detached the drill bit from its arm. Six spidery legs sprang up and skittered over towards the deceased girl's abdomen. Despite knowing she felt no pain, Lucy and Lisa still flinched when the robot injected the transport device underneath her skin.

"Now comes the tricky part", Lisa said with bated breath. While initial testing had proven successful, it wasn't nearly as extensive as the young genius had desired. Their time frame for recovery was too short, however, and her usual sense of scientific rigor was placed on the proverbial back burner. If anything went wrong now, it might spell doom for their mission. Lisa entered the coordinates down to the picometer, and double checked her equations to make sure they could accurately take into account fluctuations in space-time. Once she was finally satisfied, she initiated a command prompt.

A great flash of light blinded the video feed, and a tingling feeling spread across both Lucy and Lisa. The light (and the tingly feeling), gradually gave way to reveal an empty coffin, or nearly empty anyways. Lisa had designed the teleporter with only biological matter in mind, so the discarded clothing and medical instruments were to be expected. Lisa checked her bunker feed, and behold, a stark naked Lola floated in a vat of strange green fluid.

"Eureka!", Lisa shouted, before Lucy clamped a hand over her mouth. As much as Lucy liked the idea of waking the dead, there was still the living to be concerned about. Anyone could be skulking about. In fact, she knew of a few people that did…

A branch snapped and Lucy and Lisa shot up into the air with barely concealed screams. Someone had got the jump on them, and they had only just begun. "Dammit Lucy, you were supposed to stand guard", Lisa whispered furiously.

"I was", Lucy quietly defended herself. She was the master of stealth. _No one can sneak up on me, except maybe..._

"Lucy?", Haiku asked in her usual forboding tone of voice. "What are you doing here", she looked around, "and what is all of this", she gestured. Lucy seemed about to answer, but she froze at the sight of Lisa. She was pointing a gun at Haiku.

"Lisa don't!", Lucy shouted, throwing caution to the wind.

Lisa quirked an eyebrow. "And why not? We've been discovered, and we cannot risk familial, or worse, government detection". Even Lucy was frightened at Lisa's clinical description of what she was about to do. Murder.

"P-Please d-don't shoot", Haikou stammered, abandoning her usual monotone voice. "I p-promise I w-won't say a thing", she begged. Tears ran down her face, leaving a trail of slightly less pale skin in its wake. "I don't want to die".

"I'm not going to kill you. Rather, I'm going to stun you and erase all memory of this encounter", Lisa reasoned. With that, Lisa pulled the trigger, causing Haiku to convulse and fall to the ground. Unfortunately, a wet spot spread from her nether regions, but Lisa figured she was about to wet herself in terror anyways. "Lucy, if you would be so kind", Lisa said in reference to the downed goth. "And take this. It's a memory erasing booster. I'm confident you know how to handle it".

Lucy stared in shock, before shrugging and dragging her friend off to a nearby tree. If she wouldn't remember anyways, then it was, as Lynn often put it, "no harm no foul". At least it wasn't an real gun. That would've been too dark, even for her. Lucy gave Haiku one last look, before softly laying her head against a particularly spooky tree as a form of apology. Discounting the ruined makeup and soiled undergarments, she almost looked ethereal. _I thought she was naturally pale,_ Lucy mused.

Lisa was already hard at work beside Lori's tombstone by the time Lucy returned. If Lucy was bothered that she started without her, she didn't show it. Lisa did, however, seem flustered. "Is everything alright?", Lucy asked.

"Mostly. I completed the teleportation procedure for Lori, but it seems the disembodied state of her arm proved… problematic".

"Problematic?", Lucy probed. That couldn't be good news.

"It's gone. The rest of Lori's body is in the bunker, but her damaged arm seems to have fizzled out of existence", she explained. It was intriguing to say the least. Inexplicably, only whole specimens could be transported.

"Sigh. At least we got most of her. Maybe we can give her a prosthetic scythe", Lucy suggested somewhat seriously. This earned a blank stare from Lisa, but Lori was already going to be pissed, so did it really matter? Bringing her back to life should make up for it, to say the very least.

Since nothing could be done about the lost arm, Lisa moved onto the final grave. Their father. Everything went as expected, and the drill slowed as it penetrated the final coffin. Almost immediately, a foul smell assaulted their noses, causing both to gag. Lisa vomited onto the grass above Lola's tomb. Whoops. After a minute of dry heaving, Lisa composed herself before donning a surgical mask. She had to see what was wrong.

"Gasp", Lucy exclaimed dramatically. She was hovering over the laptop watching the livefeed. The horrified expression on her face did not bode well going further. Lisa nudged Lucy out of the way and couldn't believe what she saw. She cursed the US government in multiple languages, each expression more foul than the last. Eventually, her swearing stopped and gave way to tears because of the implications. Her father wasn't coming back.

Beneath the ground, a mixture of raw sewage and their father's remains coated the inside of his casket. For some god forsaken reason, a sewer line ran directly beneath their father's grave, and somehow had sprung a leak, desecrating their father's burial site. _Probably the handiwork of some underpaid beurocrat,_ Lisa thought. There was no hope of recovering his remains, let alone his life.

Lucy and Lisa numbly packed up their belongings, and made to leave. They covered their tracks and sealed the holes the machine made. Everything was accounted for, and the girls arrived at 1216 Franklin Avenue before anyone knew better.

xxxxxxxxxx

 **Hours later...**

A full glass syringe glinted in the sun as the first rays of light shone over Royal Woods Cemetary. A moment later, it was crushed underfoot by a VERY, figuratively and literally, pissed off goth.


	2. A Plan Going Forward

**Forgive me for the delay. I am literally typing this out on mobile (Jotterpad, to be precise). I am not Flagg1991, so expect an update every week or two.**

 **OmegaUltra - While Flagg wrapped things up pretty nicely, emotional trauma can be felt for years after, if not the rest of your life. Basically I don't subscribe to the idea that everyone just moved on, although I appreciate your input.**

 **XxxxxxX**

Moonlight the dark alicorn trotted beside Haiku in her dreamscape, the Land of Eternal Apathy. Black glitter seemed to coat everything, from the trees to the dirt. Gloom bunnies lounged about expressing their fabulous disdain for the world. It truly was paradise… except she had no one to share it win - no one real, anyways. "Oh Moonlight, if only there was someone who understood me as well as you!", Haiku bemoaned. The flowers wept bloody tears of understanding. Or sadness? Maybe apathy?

Suddenly the dreamscape went silent. It usually did when Moonlight was about to speak. Haiku was brimming with anticipation, having visions of eldritch abominations and vampire weddings, or even better, a way to convince mom to buy her her first Ouija board!

"Kid?", Moonlight spoke, her regal face twisting into a look of concern.

"Yes Moonlight?", Haiku sighed dreamily.

"Are you alright?", Moonlight's face suddenly sprouted a big, bushy mustache and glasses.

"Ahhhhh", Haiku woke with a start. The now alert Goth took stock of her surrounding. Was she still at the cemetery? Spooky trees, check. Gravestones, check. Creepy old dude hovering above her… Haiku screamed again (check).

"Calm down for a second, lass!", the exasperated groundskeeper said. "I was just making sure you're alive. I'm the groundskeeper here". The Scottish man's concern barely outweighed his patience at this point.

"I'm alright", Haiku said after a moment.

"Then what're you doing in my cemetery reeking of piss?", the man questioned angrily. He'd seen enough homeless people and opioid addicts around these parts to know it was no place for wee little girls.

"I walk here every night… wait what are you talking about!", Haiku demanded, before noticing her generally disheveled appearance and… soiled underpants. She blushed. Suddenly last night's memories flooded back in. Lucy… Lisa… THE TASER. Haiku didn't know what Lucy and her baby sister were up to, but she was going to raise hell when she found them. The fuming goth girl got up, shoved the surly groundskeeper out of her way, and stomped towards the cemetery entrance.

"Well good morning to you too", he shouted and indignantly raised his fist.. "Since you're okay, do me a favor and GET OUT OF MY CEMETERY!", he yelled after her. _That's the_ _ **last**_ _time_ _I ever help out any children,_ he thought bitterly. Rude little things and loud enough to rouse the dead! He shook his head as he returned to his duties...

 **XxxxxxX**

" _It is crucial that no one enters the_ _bunker until I am done",_ Lisa had stated with absolute seriousness. While Lisa had idiot-proofed the bunker, including a hidden room where the bodies were, it wasn't discovery she was currently worried about. It was her family. Their usual antics, if allowed to go on unopposed, would be the tipping point for any self-respecting scientist. That, combined with her age…

Lisa had never felt her age as much as she did right now. While some gave her her due respect, others, specifically the stingy tenured professors that thought too highly of themselves, raised holy heck at the idea of being usurped by a four and a half year old. _Curse academia and its regressive social stances_ , Lisa thought bitterly. Hopefully Dr Pask would prove more progressive in his treatment of younger scientists.

A ringing sound came from her computer, indicating that the conference call was about to begin. It was judgement day, and Lisa hoped whatever gods presided over her fate did not find her lacking. She took a deep breath, before finally pressing accept. A white 30ish male with dark hair graced the screen. He had an easy smile, which helped ease Lisa's frayed nerves.

"Good morning Lisa," Pask started off cordially. The window behind him displayed the setting sun, as would be expected with a sixteen hour time difference. Still, the man seemed as fresh as a bellis perennis. Hopefully this wasn't just a facade put on for a child's sake.

"Good evening, Doctor Pask", Lisa responded in kind.

"I was surprised when I received your request for collaboration on the Thylacine project. Even more so at the custom drone used to deliver said request", Doctor Pask stated evenly. While many a person had come seeking insight on the Thylacine project, none went to the lengths Lisa Loud did, nor did they care beyond the rudimentary aspects for their blogs and scientific 'journalism'. Lisa came to the table with astonishing knowledge and questions that bespoke an understanding that perhaps eclipsed his own. Even so, Lisa was insistent on the 'collaboration' aspect of it, and hoped to receive external funding, that is, not through her own government. She was certainly a cheeky little thing.

"Yes. I apologize for my unusual methods of communication. Secrecy is of utmost importance to me, given the notoriety that comes with being a four and a half year old prodigy", she claimed. _And the fact that I'm considering waking the dead._ It helped to have a realistic explanation, and the rigid nature of academia seemed as good an excuse as any.

"Of course. Of course. You must understand though. I cannot, in good conscious, take away from your achievments. If we are to work beside one another, than I must credit you somehow", Pask insisted. As excited as he was at the opportunity to expand his field, he'd rather not sacrifice his integrity. If science was built on the shoulders of giants, he wanted to leave as much room for his colleagues as possible.

"With all due respect, doctor, I only seek progress. Whether you or some competing scientist does it means little to me", Lisa threatened. "My work will be completed one way or another, but I prefer to go through and use the appropriate channels. Having read through your background, I consider you to be the worthiest individual to embark on this scientific venture with. There were others I considered, but none had your integrity", Lisa explained.

"Ah. So you're looking for someone safe. A glorified secret-keeper?", Pask accused. "While I may not be on the cutting edge of science like some of your more esteemed colleagues, I will not rely on handouts to achieve my ends", Pask said with pomp. It was clear that the girl was trying to butter him up, but he would not resort to cheating. If Lisa wanted an errand boy, she could very well seek elsewhere.

"No. It's because I feel I can trust you. Yes, I have ulterior motives, but I don't just want an alias", Lisa contended. "I wish to share insight, and working with some money-grubbing, self absorbed ignoramus will only lead to unwanted exposure on my end". Lots of people would gladly tack on a prodigies name for scientific relevance. Academia was a political organization every bit as much as a scientific one. You had to rub elbows with the right people, and Lisa had no desire for such wranglings. This particular task would be best served by the venerable Doctor Pask.

Doctor Pask looked thoughtful for a second before continuing. "So long as the collaboration component remains intact, it would be my honor to conduct research alongside you, Miss Loud. I will have to insist on one concession though".

"Go on", Lisa gestured.

"One day, years or maybe even decades from now, I must be allowed to offer credit due. I will maintain your secret for a reasonable stretch of time, but I will not die knowing that I've robbed you of your accomplishments", the good doctor maintained.

"Done," Lisa finished contentedly.

"I'm glad we're in agreement. Before we move on with our work though, I'd appreciate it if you filled me in on your hypothesis. As I understand it, you need one of my Tasmanian Tiger specimen. You mentioned 'restoring the real thing', but my theory for reintroduction specifies cloning as the mechanism", Pask informed. Cloning seemed infinitely more practical, but Pask was open to new suggestions.

"I suggest you get into a comfortable position then", Lisa recommended. "This might take a few hours". And with that, their professional relationship had begun. She still had her reservations of course, but this was for the best. Two birds with one stone. The good doctor gets his recognition, with Lisa getting the umbrella (and monetary support) that would shield her from wandering eyes.

 **XxxxxxxX**

Hours went by, and Lucy had to run interference no less than four times. Lincoln was the first, trying to avoid lucha libre practice with Lynn. Then came Lana streaking out of the house trying to avoid bathtime. Leni saw a spider and ran outside screaming about the 'Spiderpocalypse'. And finally (and most sensibly) Luna wanted help with her trig homework. All the while, Lucy diligently stood guard, pretending to write poetry as she anxiously awaited the results. It was exhausting, soul-crushing work, but she kind of liked the feeling of despair that came with it.

It was now 3:30pm, and Lucy did a quick 360°, monitoring for any potentially suspicious activities. She saw a falcon swoop in and grab a baby squirrel. She saw smoke rising in the distance, maybe a house fire, though probably just a chimney. She saw a skull and crossbone cloud formation. She saw an angry Haiku walking towards her...

That wasn't normal. Haiku normally wore an impassive expression, but she looked PISSED.

Wait… did she miss an important Mortician's Club meeting? She was supposed to take the minutes, but she couldn't remember anything being scheduled for the near future. Maybe Lincoln pulled another Sadie Hawkins and stood Haiku up for something. Maybe…

Haiku stopped right in front of her, foot tapping impatiently. "Hi Haiku. What brings you to my woefully decrepit abode", Lucy tried. She couldn't help but feel like she was missing something obvious. What did she do?

"Do you really have nothing to say for yourself?", Haiku said impatiently. Lucy swore her glare was almost accusatory, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"What?", Lucy replied.

Haiku hmphed at her less than satisfactory response. "Don't play dumb, Lucy. What happened at the graveyard last night? One moment there's a freaking taser pointed at my face, and the next I'm awake propped up against a tree".

Lucy blanched. She wasn't supposed to remember. Lisa gave her the syringe and she… and she… forgot to use it on Hakou.

"Oh, so you DO remember. In that case, you better have a damn good excuse for leaving me like that!", Haiku demanded, poking her finger in Lucy's chest.

Doing her best to collect herself, Lucy went with a lying approach. "Are you sure you weren't dreaming? Lisa and I were at home asleep last night".

"I don't exactly make a habit of sleeping in graveyards, Lucy", Haiku deadpanned.

"Okay… then we were just paying our respects to the dead", Lucy tried.

"At midnight? With a taser and… whatever that thing was you stuck into the ground?", Haiku replied unconvinced. "Look, you have five seconds to tell the truth, or I'm taking this to the 'rents", Haiku threatened. She held up five fingers to prove she meant business.

"One."

"It was an accident… err".

"Two".

"Hunting for vengeful spirits?".

"Three".

"Having a spooky picnic?".

"Four".

"Coffin shopping?".

"Five", she proclaimed with finality. She strode towards the house, before Lucy grabbed her by the wrist.

"You can't. It's really important. I'll tell you, but only someplace where it's to safe to speak. Follow me," Lucy beckoned. Lisa would have to forgive her for forsaking her sworn duty, but this was an emergency. Lucy led her inside and to her room. She removed a ceiling grate before climbing in and extending a hand to Haiku. Haiku considered her options, before accepting and lifting herself up into the vent.

It's surprisingly clean in here, Haiku thought. The vents at school were disgusting. Decades worth of dust and the occasional rodent were enough to deter Haiku. Not to mention the screws sticking out on the inside. Lucy's on the other hand, looked like the kind you see in the movies. Except it was cramped. They reached a cross section, allowing Lucy to turn to face Haiku.

"If I tell you, you have to SWEAR not to tell a soul. Swear on Ludvik's immortal life", Lucy said, referencing Haiku's vampire 'fiance' and drawing a gasp from the older goth. This had to be pretty serious if it warranted swearing on her undead lover's life.

"Okay, okay!", Haiku answered, raising a hand before Lucy could blaspheme further. "Whatever it is, I'll hear you out before I do anything rash".

Lucy drew a breathe before explaining everything from the beginning. Haiku nodded when she thought it was appropriate, but after hearing about their crazy plan, she only heard bits and pieces of the rest. Bringing back her dead sisters? _That's crazy even by our standards… and also cool in a morose sort of way._ If Haiku ever had any doubts about Lucy's commitment to goth culture, they were completely erased with this new information. Although that still didn't explain their actions that night…

Lucy had finished talking, so Haiku asked the first question on her mind. "So why did Lisa taze me? If she let you in on it, then why not me? We're part of the same subculture!". Haiku waved her hands in exasperation. "I mean, it's better than leaving an unconscious twelve year old out in the elements!".

Lucy hung her head in shame. "I'm really sorry Haiku. Lisa said we couldn't risk discovery. She doesn't want the government on our butts", Lucy explained.

It honestly made a lot of sense. Outside of zombie movies, death and the afterlife (if there is one) were touchy subjects. Wars had been fought over which faction was right, or what denomination held the truth. If Lisa trounced the very concept of death, the whole world would be in upheaval. More importantly though, her friend's life might be in jeopardy. It was a deliciously angsty situation.

"I promise I won't tell anyone", Haiku swore. She looked uncertain before adding, "Just keep me posted okay? I want to know everything". The proverbial can of worms had been opened, so she might as well play her position for all it was worth.

Lucy nodded, but wasn't sure if she could hold up her end of the bargain. It wasn't too late to properly erase Haiku's memories, but the nine year old part of her really wanted someone to confide in. Lisa, for all of her scientific prowess, was a real stick in the mud. Beyond her new lab assistant status, Lucy didn't see herself meaningfully interacting with her younger sister. _Sigh._ It might cause trouble down the road, but Lucy would allow herself this one slip-up.

Lucy's nose suddenly twitched. In the constrained environment of the vents, odors spread quickly. In this case, her nose was assailed by the scent of urine. Did Lily hide one of her diapers again? Was Lana harboring another 'pet squirrel'? Did… Lucy suddenly remembered. "Haiku… do you need a change of clothes?".

Haiku blushed and nodded sheepishly. God this was embarrassing.

"You can blame Lisa for that. It happened after she zapped you". Lucy couldn't imagine that happening to her, and she was eight. To the ever regal gothic queen? It was inconceivable. Luckily(?), the blackmailer of the household was currently floating in a vat of green goo, dead to the world, so Haiku had nothing to worry about. _Wow, that's dark even for me,_ Lucy mused.

They exited the vent above Lucy's room. She turned away so Haiku could change into a set of Lynn's gym clothes. Lucy would have to explain later, minus the peeing incident of course. Once Haiku was dressed, she called her mom to let her know she was alright. Luckily, she hadn't called the cops, and luckier still, Haiku's mom believed her tall tale about a Scottish groundskeeper scaring her into hiding out all night. She'd be at 1216 in about fifteen minutes, although there'd be a serious conversation about her late night cemetary excursions.

"Thanks for not busting us", Lucy said while they sat on the front porch.

"It's nothing, so long as you don't mention THIS", Haiku joked, lifting up the bin liner that held her dirty clothes. She looked thoughtful for a second, before adding, "I'll have to hang out with you guys more. I never realized that you weren't the only cool Loud". With that, Haiku's mother pulled up and whisped her away in a cloud of exhaust. Meanwhile, a tentative smile and a small blush overtook the slight goth's normally stoic facade. Lucy had a really good feeling about this…

 **XxxxxxxX**

Lisa liked conversing with Doctor Pask. The hours seemed like minutes when engaged in meaningful dialogue. Lisa provided valuable insight regarding the feasibility of bringing an original extinct specimen back to life, while Doctor Pask furiously scribbled down all of the pertinent information. While only theory, it was well-founded and left the senior doctor immensely impressed. The doctor still did his due diligence, trying his best to poke holes in her theory, such as mechanisms for repairing highly degraded DNA, and the lack of close relatives to the Tasmanian Tiger that could fill in the genetic gaps. In the end though, Pask had to concede that Lisa's premise was promising, which she took as high praise considering she'd put it all together in a measly two months.

Doctor Pask suddenly rubbed his eyes, and he became aware of the dark bags beneath them. He'd been sleep deprived _before_ their conference call even started, and continuing risked falling into a state of delirium. "I apologize, but I must get some rest. I -we- have a lot of work ahead of us, and proper sleep is the whetting stone of a sharp mind", he said with a wink.

"Thank you Doctor Pask. It truly is an honor to work alongside you", Lisa complimented the good doctor.

"Likewise. I eagerly await our next correspondence", Pask yawned before terminating the link.

The room fell into silence, and Lisa pinched the bridge of her nose to ease her newly throbbing headache. With an agreement made, Lisa now held the weight of the world on her shoulders. The weight of her sisters' worlds too. In the years that would follow, Lisa would remember this day forever as her first real step into adulthood. Her days of aimless childish wonder were behind her, replaced with a steely resolve that would defy nature itself.

 **XxxxxxX**

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. There will be some time skips, and some upcoming chapters might have confusing formatting.


End file.
